Recently I read an eye-opening comment. The woman mentioned that every news story about heroin has the picture of a dirty spoon, dirty house or some stereotype that people often associate with heroin use. Yes, some heroin users use dirty spoons and don’t keep their homes spic and span. The problem with these photos is that it perpetuates the mindset that, this is how heroin use always looks.

Let me explain why this is an issue. Let’s say a young lady is getting ready to a party and sees a story on the news or online about heroin. In the story the users look like they haven’t taken a bath in a month, the room they are using in is in an abandoned home and things look pretty dire. The young woman, of course, sees this and takes a mental note. If we are lucky right?

When she gets to the party and has had a few drinks she gets offered heroin. The person offering it is a clean cut, handsome guy that has a nice home. Her mind will go back to that News story but in front of her is walking, talking, breathing, proof, that those things don’t happen to everyone. Those people don’t know when to stop, but he does…what can’t she?

This is a perfect example of how teenagers and young adults take that first step into heroin addiction.

Our News organizations need to do a better job of reporting on this epidemic instead of fanning the flames of the already deadly stigma that comes with heroin addiction.

Holy Addiction and Heroin Bulletin are asking everyone that reads this article to reach out to your favorite News stations and speak up. Tell them that it is wrong to use needles and dirty spoons in every News story. Tell them that heroin doesn’t discriminate but with the photos of only dirty spoons and people that portray only the depths addiction can take you they are doing the public a disservice. Those who will be mislead the most are our children.

There should be photos of silver spoons and well-dressed people in these photos because when that young lady gets offered heroin for the first time, she needs to be able to recognize that misery isn’t always dirty. Sometimes it comes in familiar settings and could be offered by beautiful people.